Bleeding Heart Bakery

I read an article on the Bleeding Heart Bakeryin the Chicago Journal a couple of weeks ago. Sounds like a promising place, but I haven't been as yet. Anybody with reactions?

Bleeding Heart Bakery
2018 W. Chicago Ave
(773) 278-3638

(this thread will probably be moved to Shopping and Cooking, right? I think that's where bakeries go...)

Anyhow, I've been there a few times, and ordered a cake for my son's first b-day from there. Good stuff, all of it. The cake was a no-nuts carrot cake (healthyish and baby safe) and it was a lot bigger than I expected, and very very good. Everyone ate it but the baby it was intended for. I have no idea why he didn't want some, it rocked.

The people that run it are cool, the main owner has a baby as well and knew what I was looking for in terms of a baby cake. Her son was in the pack and play when I went to check them out. Obviously a kid-friendly establishment. I guess they have like 4 or 5 owners, youngish hipsterish folks.

The other time I stopped by I got one each of a few items- the cheddar dill scone, the monkey bread (in a muffin thing) and a zuchinni bread muffin. All very tasty. I'll be back for more.

On the website, they list a bunch of nice stuff, like marshmallows and candies in interesting flavors. I sampled a (I think) ginger marshmallow one time I was there, but can't remember if they had a lot of the stuff listed on the site. There is also a small seating area.

I never knew there was such a thing as an animal rights attorney (see about me on the website). What do they get paid in? Doggie Treats?

Unfortunately, I had a very bland & disappointingly bad Pumpkin Charlotte from B.Heart a week ago or so.

We were really rooting for them, but for $40 it was a complete embarrassment.

Paul F.

I, too, want this bakery to survive. The owner that I met is really friendly, and I was overjoyed to see Monkey Bread sitting in a basket for me to consume. While Monkey Bread is not the most refined of the baked goods, it certainly makes me feel at home, and seeing someone offer it other than my mom on Christmas morning is a nice trip back in time.
I also tried a savory&sweet little orange polenta cookie to round out my healthy breakfast. Twas worth it.

I haven't been there, but the commitment to local and organic ingredients is interesting. How local can you get with wheat flour?

Bleeding Heart had a stand at the Farmers Market by my house this summer. They sold amazing jellies (one of the flavors being passion fruit, my favorite). I was very impressed and hope to check out the actual bakery soon for more of their awesome jellies.

Bleeding Heart bakery also used to be one of the clients (?) of Kitchen Chicago, the shared kitchen space and cafe next to the Francisco Brown Line stop. I bought a Bleeding Heart S'mores brownie (brownie w/ graham crackers and marshmallows) from there a few months ago, it was very dense and crumbly, a little too dry for me, but rich and very chocolatey.

I haven't checked to see whether Kitchen Chicago is still carrying BH goods now that the bakerry has its own space.

The jelly refered to above is also known as a pate de fruit. Theirs are good, not perfect, but for $.40 each, you can't find a better deal in town.

I purchased a s'mores brownie the other day, along with a few other things. At $3.00 it is a nice sized brownie, very dense and chewy. I found the chocolate flavor to be very superficial - utterly lacking in depth, no roundness at all. I was disappointed by it.

I also purchased a carrot muffin type cake, which was very moist. So moist, in fact, that I realized it was not entirely baked! For $3.00, I expect it to be baked. Is that so much to ask?

We also picked up a loaf of bread made by, um, can't remember their name, but it was something like, "A Touch of Bread" or something (someone, please help with the name). It was okay, but not great - the crust was a bit rubbery, the crumb very fine, and it was a wee bit stale. A leftover from the day prior, perhaps?

I want them to succeed, too...but frankly, the pastry case wasn't all that tempting to me. The cupcakes were tiny, and, as pointed out above, the full size cakes (maybe 9"?) were $45 each for some very homey looking cakes. Ouch!!! I adore the space they were in - I hope they will do more with what they have. I also think they should add cheeses. But I think that about everything.

Well, thank you to those who support me and sorry to those who feel let down.

I wanted to answer a few questions and clear a few things up...

1. As for the comment about being an animal rights lawyer..I was 7 years old, it's kinda like asking what they pay a princess or a cowboy.

2. As for my prices... a case of butter costs me up to $170 for 36 pounds, the same case of non organic butter costs $67 normal market cost. Flour costs me $16 for 50#, a normal bag of high quality flour which is non organic costs $7.50. When everything is calculated out, you are actually getting a deal. Sorry, but others do actually rip you off, I do not. Look at the sizes and imagine the time everything takes.

3. There is one owner, me, Michelle Garcia. As of January we are incorporated, going non-profit and there is a board of directors, hence the "5 owners".

4. I deeply apologize for the underbaked cake, the carrot cake is very very moist due to the high amount of pineapple. I really wish you would have called so that we could have taken them off the shelf. Underbaked pastry is no good and it makes people sick, which I'm sure you already know. Since so many children eat this cake I just wish I would have known so I could have cut into one and gotten to the root of the problem.

5. As far as the hominess of the cakes. Well, sorry. Pastry that has been handled too much is a big turn off to me, it seems fake and it is not my style. I believe in simplicity with food, hence the fresh ingrediants, simple decorations and delicate flavors. If its not for you, so be it, I can't please everyone. It is quite possible that you came when the pastry case had been emptied by customers, it seems to happen quite often and we are left with little to offer...but that is the point..to sell things.

6. The bread is made by an old intern of mine named Charles Foulkes, his company is called "Crust For Bread". The bread mentioned was the "Touch of Honey". It is his vesion of what our neighborhood is used to. When we started this company we did not want to scare anyone away. I moved into a predominantley hispanic neighborhood and I want to offer familiar items so everyone feels welcome. Next time, if there is a next time, try a crustier bread, there are several to choose from.

7. We are not a deli, we do not sell cheese.

8. The pate de fruit is something I take alot of pride in, I know it is good, I studied and worked in Europe and I learned this art from true blue confectioners. I have been told my many that there is one one better than mine and it is at a small patisserie in France. These people have no reason to lie, especially when they don't know that the girl behind the counter is the same girl who made it.

9. Local ingredients: We do all we can to be as local as possible. Obviously you cannot get sugar from Illinois, but you can get apples, and cranberries and yes..wheat flour. THere are several millers all over the midwest region. Plapp Family Farms, Eagle Mills and Heartland just to name a few. There are also several much smaller farms.

10. All in all I appreciate everyones comments. Please do not take my answers to be argumentative, I just believe that if you put it out there I have the right to make corrections or just set the record straight.

11. Thank you to everyopne who has stayed loyal to me since the beginning, you make it all worth while.

I for one appreciate the owner's additional information/explanation. This bakery is not on my way to anywhere, but based on what I've read here and on the bakery's website, my boys and I will be making a trip over to check it out in a couple of weeks (I'm about to leave town on vacation). I'm anxious to support a organic/local/kid-friendly business, especially since it seems like the whole country's hackles are up about the presence of children in public following the notorious NY Times article.

Ditto! Now I really can't wait to check out the bakery in person.

Michelle, do you have a mailing (email) list of activities or classes at your bakery?

Please email me at michelle@thebleedingheartbakery.com. I will put you on the email list no problem. Thanks for your support!

I went to Bleeding Heart yesterday on my way home from work to pick up some sweets. While the selection was some limited, afterall it was the end of the day, I did get a carrot/pineapple teacake that was absolutely delicious. So fresh and moist and yummy. It was much better then I expected and will make me go back and try something else.

Finally, I got over to Bleeding Heart yesterday... I just don't find myself in the neighborhood without making a specific point to do so. Anyway, my purchases:

A raspberry pate de fruit--apparently no longer $0.40, mine was $0.75, but I'd get one again. They also had pomegranate (wish I'd tried that too) and apple.

Monkey bread--different from my usual conception of monkey bread, this was really not sweet at all. (I was sort of expecting a gooier, sweeter more cinnamon roll type of thing.) Flaky, with light cinnamon, slightly dry. Not bad, but not what I had in mind.

An eclair--The one bite I got was very nice, vanilla bean seeds were visible in the filling.

Meyer lemon pound cake--wow, the big score of the trip. Moist, dense, and distinctly flavored--highly recommended! There were a number of flavored pound cakes, in 3 sizes (loaf pan, mini loaf pan, and sort of coffee mug size).

This is in a totally different neighborhood -- not a neighborhood, but Glenview, so a suburb to be exact -- but if you're looking for organic-style bakeries, another one to try is Sweet Dreams Cafe on Waukegan Road just north of Glenview Road. It's a lovely place for coffee (Intelligentsia) and a nice bite to eat (though it's very much a north shore ladies-who-lunch sort of place.) They feature nice homemade soups, sandwiches, and little quiches, and pretty (if small!) pastries for dessert. And Sweet Dreams says that they use "organic, fair-trade, locally-produced goods when possible to support better health, fair labor and trade, and sustainable communities." All that is okay by me. I've found the food very nice, though the sweets are pricey, and I haven't tried any of the cakes, so I can't comment on them. It's very nicely done inside and a great place to sit for a while if you need some coffee and whatever.

Sweet Dreams Organic Bakery and Cafe
1107 N. Waukegan Road
Glenview
http://www.organicisbetter.com

I tried this bakery (that is Bleeding Heart) last week for the first time. I wanted to love it, and when I was tasting with my eyes, I was thinking, why is this place not packed. Then, I tasted with my mouth. Pretty much everything I tried, the sticky bun, the cookies, the almond brioche (especially the almond brioche) looked better than they tasted. A lot of it, to be frank, was freshness, or lack thereof. The ability to have an optimum and FRESH inventory is obviously a big challenge for a bakery. Still, like I say, the look of the stuff showed an attention to detail, and I appreciate all of their committments to local, organic, etc. I'll give 'em another shot some day.

We stopped by BHB a few weeks back on a really cold day. We tried their spicy hot chocolate, which was very spicy! aye-yi-yi! but it did warm us up. I too was stunned by the beautiful carrot cake! Brought it back for friends to try, we all really enjoyed it. My g/f bought some marshmallows and cupcakes and thought they were quite good. The gentleman behind the counter that helped us was very charming and friendly. When we went there were about 5 other customers in there ahead of us. This was midafternoon on a saturday and they had plenty of everything.

It seems from the mixed reviews that perhaps consistency is the problem, will definitely go back to try other goodies.

Crazy as it sounds I really do take everyones comments to heart. This bakery is my life's work and it is hard when it is open to the public, as my bakery is.

Bakery goods are, in general, a matter of personal taste. Freshness and the lack there of, however, can easily be spotted by all. Although many bakeries do sell stale product I assure you that we do not. In fact it is quit impossible since we only bake 12 of everything at a time and it all gets donated to either Food Not Bombs or the Broadway Youth Center the next morning (whatever did not sell). We specifially own very little fridge and freezer space to ensure the quick use of all products and the inability to make more than a 10 quart batch at a time.

My point is that I apologize for the seemingly lack of freshness one member had, the problem is not freshness but in the baking itself. Being the sort of place we are, we have several interns at a time, it is very hard to keep track of every product especially when you have shown it to someone several times and they assured you they knew how to make it exactly as shown. ( I am 6 months pregnant and do need a few hours off once in a while). This is not an excuse, but an explanation.

I have spoken with my production manager together we are going to re-teach all of the breakfast pastries so this problem does not happen again.

FYI...the monkey bread is supposed to be sweet and gooey, it usually is, I am so sorry that it wasn't and I will be fixing the problem.

I want to preface this by saying I like the BHB. I can understand an owner's desire to explain issues at their establishment and be heard. However, when it is stated already is not possible to keep track of products, then isn't it a bit unfair to blame the interns, simply because they are interns? A problem with the product could be caused by anyone or an ingredient not being at its freshest or as good as the purveyor sent the time before.

Blaming one's employees without evidence in a public forum just doesn't seem fair.

You are correct, I should not simply blame the interns..that was not the point...

The point was about freshness. I was apologizing for someone having a bad experience and offering a possible explanatiuon, one which I myself have noticed.

Quite frankly, if I recieve a bad product, off milk or fruit that has gone south I will not use it, that is not the problem that was mentioned. There are many variables. The one that would give a "staleness" to a product is the overbaking or not having the right temp on the oven. These are problems I know of because I deal with them everyday.

To be perfectly honest I am grateful to have interns, it really is what our bakery is about...teaching. They are good to me as I am to them.

Is it wrong to offer an explanation? One which has already been a discussion amongst everyone who is an employee/intern at BHB? I really don't think so. It is important for people to know that as the owner I care about their experience, if there is a problem I pin point it and fix it asap.

Ms. Garcia, as I said I like your bakery and I understand your desire to explain and be heard. So, to answer your questions, no it is not wrong to offer an explanation. Personally, I would have sent a PM to the person to explain but that is just me.

I thank you for liking my bakery, believe me, it means alot. Possibly I should have written a personal message, but I touched on two points from two people and I wanted to make the point that I care. I read this, like all reviews and I try my best to correct any problem. It is important to me that the customer knows I really do hear him or her.

To touch on my subject, I'm having a rough day and probably came off harsh, it's not like me and I apologize if it seemed as if I was laying blame, it just came out wrong.

IMHO, anyone who is six months pregnant and putting in the kind of hours a bakery requires deserves an "off day" once in a while!

Hang in there, Michelle!

Michelle, we all have them (off days, that is!). Best wishes.

Having recently switched jobs taking me out of the West Loop and back to the burbs, I will miss Bleeding Heart Bakery, especially the gooey S'mores Brownie and that delicious Lemon Bar. I wish I had stopped by more frequently and tried out the salads and other lunch offerings.

Bleeding Heart is one of several bakeries that donates bread and pastries to Food Not Bombs. Most of what Bleeding Heart donates is still so fresh, I usually can't believe that they're giving it to us. So I'd be surprised if anything on their shelves would be less than fresh.

And picking up the donations for Food Not Bombs gives me the chance to eat there every week. So far, I've liked everything I've tried. The parsnip mustard soup was great and their vegan mesquite BBQ sandwich is absolutely delicious. The flavor was incredible and I can't wait to try it again. They had a black bean veggie burger that looked good, too. As far as sweets, I can only attest to their vegan deserts, which are remarkably good. I had a banana walnut brownie, which was great. A good vegan brownie is hard to come by, and it was one of the best ones I've ever had. It was really moist and the banana gave it a delicious natural sweetness. I've tried a few of the vegan cookies, as well. I thought they were just the right texture and just the right sweetness.

I also tried a sample of the passionfruit pate de fruit, which I loved.

My office had assorted breakfast pastries delivered from Bleeding Heart and it was delicious. We'll definitely order again. I'm especially interested in trying their brownies and cakes.

Michelle,

Thank you for answering all of the comments truthfully. However, you neglected to answer one of the comments in a straightforward manner...and I am going to take you to task for it.

How much does an animal rights lawyer make? To which you answered "it is like asking how much does a princess or a cowboy make."

Well, let me tell you my Ex-princess still makes a huge amount each month without getting off her fat cash and I see some pretty well- dressed "cowboys" in my neighborhood (leave it alone, Gary). I just hope you, personally, and the bakery are as successful.

I read about your bakery from the Kitchen Chicago website email blast and loved the lemon bar when I stopped by....however, the bakery is nowhere near any of my destinations, sorry.

Regards,
Peter


Bleeding Heart Bakery
2018 W. Chicago Ave
(773) 278-3638

I had a chance to stop into the Bleeding Heart Bakery yesterday while running some errands in the West Town hood and was quite pleased with my sweet selections.

I made two dessert purchases that were simple but delectable: a chocolate chunk cookie (which, I might add, I have consumed my fair share of below average ones) and a Meyer Lemon bar.

I was pleased to see eight other people come in, in the course of the 15 minutes that I was in the store, leading me to believe that it definitely was fitting the bill for a neighborhood need. I will always support these kind of businesses. I left feeling really good.